Cystoscopy in Los Angeles
What is a Cystoscope?
Cystoscope is an instrument consisting of a long thin tube with a lens on each end, attached to a light source and sometimes a camera, used for visual inspection of the bladder. During cystoscopy bladder opening, bladder wall muscles, lining of the bladder, the mobility and closure of the bladder opening, and the ejection of urine from the kidneys into the bladder can be evaluated.
How is cystoscopy performed?
Cystoscopy is a very well tolerated procedure with minimal side effects and practically no down time. The opening to the bladder is usually treated with a special numbing gel and gently dilated and a scope designed for women’s bladder is inserted through the urethra into the bladder. Saline is infused into the bladder through the cystoscope. Once the bladder is dilated the cystoscope is used to perform the inspection.
What is the cystoscopy used for?
Cystoscopy is used in diagnosing lesions of the bladder such as polyps, stone, or cancer. Obstruction of the opening of the bladder or the kidneys can also be evaluated. Cystoscope is also used in conjunction with urodynamic testing to assess bladder function in patients with urinary difficulties such as incontinence, retention, or pain with urination. Cystoscopy can also be used to evaluate women with recurrent and chronic urinary tract infection.
Can cystoscopy be used for treating bladder conditions?
Cystoscopy can also be used to treat certain bladder conditions. Polyps can be removed and suspicious bladder lesions can be biopsied through small channels that are designed in the scope. Stones can be removed from the bladder or pulverized with laser.
What other conditions can cystoscope help diagnose or treat?
Cystoscopy can be used to assist in diagnosing interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome by excluding other causes of pain or finding features of the disease upon inspecting the bladder. Finding of Hunner bodies or glomerulations found with bladder distention can be associated factors that can confirm presence of interstitial cystitis.
Cystoscopy can be used to treat urge incontinence by injecting botox into the bladder muscle. Botox reduces the bladder overactivity and relaxes urge symptoms.
A cystoscope can also be used to treat stress incontinence by injecting special polymers into the neck of the bladder to provide bulk and create a better closure of the bladder neck. This outpatient procedure is very effective and creates greater resistance to the outflow of urine and prevents stress urine loss.
A cystoscope is an extremely useful and indispensable medical instrument with many diagnostic and treatment capabilities. You may be helped by a cystoscopy if you suffer from urinary difficulty. Please ask Dr. Tahery about diagnostic and treatment options available to you.